Maple Cake

Unfrosted maple cake with chocolate chunks

Plain maple cake with powdered sugar topping

We have a recipe that was torn out of a magazine, and we don't know which magazine. Nor does a web search come up with anything similar. So, whomever the author is, please take a bow! Gluten free modifications by Hallie.

This cake is a family favorite and can be made a number of different ways. It is pretty forgiving. The recipe makes three layers, and you can make one or two layers. Trouble is that the egg doesn't round evenly for less than three layers. If you decide to make two layers, you can put in three eggs instead of 2.67 and still get a very acceptable cake. You may have to cook it a bit longer to take care of the added moisture of the 1/3 egg. Besides, gluten free cakes can be a bit dry, so the extra egg certainly doesn't hurt.

The cake on the left had 1/2 cup of chopped dark 70% chocolate candy with no nuts. You could use chocolate chips; however, they won't melt. Chocolate candy will. The cake on the right was baked in a 8" X 8" square pan, which is equivalent to a 9" round. This cake also had no nuts. You could put chopped pecans in the cake if you wanted to.

Guar gum (You can substitute xanthan gum, but the result will be less springy)

1

teaspoon

Salt (We left this out. There is plenty of sodium in the baking powder and baking soda.)

1/2

teaspoon

Vanilla extract (You could double this.)

1/4

teaspoon

Ground cinnamon (You could use as much as one teaspoon.)

4

whole

Eggs

1

Cup

Water

You might want to search the internet for a maple butter-cream frosting if you like frostings. This cake really requires none.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans.

In the work bowl of your stand mixer, with the mixer set at low, beat sugar and butter until blended and then increase speed to high; beat until light and fluffy. <This step is key!> Reduce speed to low; add flour, syrup, baking powder, baking soda, gum, salt, vanilla extract, cinnamon, eggs and water. Beat until just mixed, constantly scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Now increase the speed to high and beat for 2 minutes, occasionally scraping the bowl.

Spoon batter evenly into pans. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cakes in their pans for 10 minutes on a rack; remove cakes from pans, and cool completely on rack.

If you want to frost the cake, do so when the layers are cool.

Makes 16-4" X 3" un-layered servings. This is a rich cake. You could use smaller servings.